KABUL, (Reuters) – Senior Taliban officials appealed for international aid on Saturday in an effort to end a growing economic crisis which is fueling fears of another Afghan refugee exodus.

These comments were made at an event to commemorate the U.N. international migrants day. They highlighted the push by the Islamist Taliban government to interact with the global community four months after their retaken power in Kabul.

Sher Mohammad Abdul Abbas Stanikzai (the movement’s deputy foreign minister) said that it was up to countries such as the United States to assist Afghanistan in its recovery after years of war.

“The effect of the frozen funds are on the common people not Taliban authorities,” said he to the conference attended by representatives from the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR.

U.N. estimates that Afghans may face food insecurity over the winter without immediate aid. But, international resistance to engaging directly with Taliban has hampered humanitarian efforts, partly because of concerns about women’s rights and political inclusion.

Afghanistan’s economy is at risk of collapsing due to abruptly withdrawing foreign aid after the defeat by Taliban. The banking system has only partial functionality and millions of people are now out of work.

Stanikzai stated that if the economic and political situation does not change, then there will be increased migration.

Although the United States issued guidelines that allow personal cash transfers to Afghanistan, it refused to remove sanctions from a few Taliban leaders or release $9 billion of central bank reserves.

Amir Khan Muttaqi was the Taliban’s Foreign Minister. He met representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross at Islamabad. This came before a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers to discuss the Afghan situation.

He assured that international humanitarian organisations would be welcomed by the Taliban and promised them that their work will not be impeded.